A TOWER SECTION FOR A TRUSS TOWER, A TRUSS TOWER, A TRUSS TOWER ASSEMBLY, AND USE OF SUCH SECTION, TOWER AND TOWER ASSEMBLY

Abstract

A tower section is for a truss tower. The tower section has three or more elongated corner beams arranged in parallel and spaced apart, and a plurality of transverse beams connected perpendicular to adjacent corner beams, thereby forming respective three or more sides. The transverse beams are distributed along the sides so that the transverse beams of one of the side are arranged offset to the transverse beams of the other sides.

Claims

1.-19. (canceled)

20. A tower section for a truss tower, the tower section comprises: three or more elongated corner beams arranged in parallel and spaced apart, and a plurality of transverse beams connected perpendicularly to adjacent corner beams, thereby forming respective three or more sides, the transverse beams being distributed along the sides so that the transverse beams of one of the side are arranged offset to the transverse beams of the other sides, wherein the transverse beams are distributed equidistantly along the sides and with an equidistant offset between the sides; and the offset of the transverse beams is configured to enable a person climbing the tower.

21. The tower section according to claim 20, wherein the transverse beams and the connections to the corner beams are configured to bear up the weight of a person.

22. The tower section according to claim 20, wherein the transverse beams comprise friction enhancing surfaces.

23. The tower section according to claim 20, wherein the tower section comprises a plurality of bracing beams connected obliquely to adjacent corner beams.

24. The tower section according to claim 20, wherein the corner beams comprise closed tubular profiles.

25. The tower section according to claim 20, wherein the transverse beams comprise L-shaped profiles.

26. The tower section according to claim 23, wherein the bracing beams comprise L-shaped profiles.

27. The tower section according to claim 20, wherein at least one of the corner beams, the transverse beams and the bracing beams mainly comprise an extruded aluminium material.

28. A truss tower comprising a tower section, wherein the tower section comprises: three or more elongated corner beams arranged in parallel and spaced apart, and a plurality of transverse beams connected perpendicularly to adjacent corner beams, thereby forming respective three or more sides, the transverse beams being distributed along the sides so that the transverse beams of one of the side are arranged offset to the transverse beams of the other sides, wherein the transverse beams are distributed equidistantly along the sides and with an equidistant offset between the sides; and the offset of the transverse beams is configured to enable a person climbing the tower.

29. The truss tower according to claim 28, wherein the truss tower comprises two or more tower sections connected at their end portions.

30. A truss tower assembly for holding one or more transmission cables, wherein the truss tower assembly comprises a first truss tower and a second truss tower, wherein the tower section comprises: three or more elongated corner beams arranged in parallel and spaced apart, and a plurality of transverse beams connected perpendicularly to adjacent corner beams, thereby forming respective three or more sides, the transverse beams being distributed along the sides so that the transverse beams of one of the side are arranged offset to the transverse beams of the other sides, wherein the transverse beams are distributed equidistantly along the sides and with an equidistant offset between the sides; and the offset of the transverse beams is configured to enable a person climbing the tower, wherein the first truss tower and the second truss tower are configured to be supported spaced apart on a bearing surface, wherein the truss tower assembly further comprises a transverse bar arranged between an end portion of the first truss tower and an end portion of the second truss tower.

31. The truss tower assembly according to claim 30, wherein the transverse bar is arranged extending parallel with a side of a tower section of the first truss tower and parallel with a side of a tower section of the second truss tower.

32. The truss tower assembly according to claim 30, wherein the transverse bar comprises connection means for holding one or more transmission cables.

33. The truss tower assembly according to claim 31, wherein the transverse bar comprises connection means for holding one or more transmission cables.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0039] In the following is described examples of preferred embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0040] FIG. 1a discloses a truss tower assembly according to a first embodiment of the invention, wherein the truss tower assembly comprises two truss towers;

[0041] FIG. 1b discloses a truss tower assembly according to a second embodiment of the invention, wherein the truss tower assembly comprises two truss towers;

[0042] FIG. 1c discloses a connection between a spar post and a stay bar of one of the truss towers in FIG. 1b;

[0043] FIG. 2a discloses a tower section according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0044] FIG. 2b discloses the tower section in FIG. 2a in further details;

[0045] FIG. 3 discloses an example of a corner beam of the tower section in FIG. 2a;

[0046] FIG. 4 discloses an example of a transverse beam of the tower section in FIG. 2a;

[0047] and

[0048] FIG. 5 discloses an example of a bracing beam of the tower section in FIG. 2a.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0049] FIG. 1a shows a truss tower assembly 1 comprising a first truss tower 5a and a second truss towers 5b according to a first embodiment of the invention.

[0050] The truss towers 5a, 5b are comprised by a plurality of tower sections 10. In the disclosed example, for purpose of simplicity, the truss towers 5a, 5b are disclosed each comprising two tower sections 10. The two or more tower sections 10 are connected at their end portions to form the truss towers 5a, 5b.

[0051] The first truss tower 5a and the second truss tower 5b are configured to be supported spaced apart on a bearing surface 12. The truss tower assembly 1 further comprises a transverse bar 15 arranged between an end portion of the first truss tower 5a and an end portion of the second truss tower 5b. The truss tower assembly 1 is for example used for holding one or more transmission cables (not shown) and comprises in such case connection means for holding the one or more transmission cables connected to the transverse bar 15.

[0052] FIG. 1b shows a truss tower assembly 1 according to a second embodiment of the invention. The truss tower assembly 1 differs from the truss tower assembly 1 in FIG. 1a in that the truss towers 5a, 5b further comprises the combination of a spar post 16 and a stay bar 18 obliquely connected to the spar post 16 via a bracket or hinge. The connection between the spar post 16 and the stay bar 18 is disclosed in further detail in FIG. 1c. Locally connecting such a stay bar (18) obliquely to spar post (16) is particularly beneficial when the spar post (16) is at least partly formed by metal, as metal has a better local strength than composite or wood

[0053] The stay bar 18 has the function of supporting the vertical orientation of the spar post 16. In the disclosed embodiment both the spar post 16 and the stay bar 18 are comprised by one or more tower sections 10.

[0054] FIG. 2a shows an embodiment of the tower section 10 used in the truss tower assembly 1 in FIG. 1a-1c. FIG. 2b shows the tower section 10 in further details.

[0055] The tower section 10 comprises three elongated corner beams 20 arranged in parallel and spaced apart in an equidistant triangle form indicated by dashed lines. The tower section 10 further comprises a plurality of transverse beams 22 connected perpendicularly to adjacent corner beams 20. Thereby, respective first side S1, second side S2 and third side S3 are formed confining the space of the triangle form.

[0056] The transverse beams 22 are distributed along the sides S1, S2, S3 so that the transverse beams 22 of one of the sides S1, S2, S3 are arranged offset to the transverse beams 22 of the other sides S1, S2, S3.

[0057] The corner beams 20 are configured to bear the axial load of the truss tower 5a, 5b. The transverse beams 22 connect the corner beams 20 so that the spacing between the corner beams 20 is fixed when the tower section 10 is subjected to bending or torsion.

[0058] By the offset configuration of the transverse beams 22 of different sides S1, S2, S3 of the tower section 10, the structural strength of the tower section 10 in regard to bending or torsion is improved. Thereby, also the weight of the tower section 10 is reduced and the transport and assembly operation are facilitated. Such as transportation by a helicopter.

[0059] Preferably. the transverse beams 22 are distributed equidistant along the sides S1, S2, S3 and with an equidistant offset between the sides S1, S2, S3, which provides a homogenous strength of the tower section 10 along its length.

[0060] The offset distribution of the transverse beams 22 also facilitates a person climbing the truss tower using the transverse beams 22.

[0061] In the disclosed embodiment, the tower section 10 further comprises a plurality of bracing beams 24 connected obliquely to adjacent corner beams 20. The bracing beams 24 are configured to further provide strength and stability to the truss tower 10.

[0062] The tower section 5a, 5b has for example a length in an interval 5 to 7 meters and with thickness in an interval 4 to 8 mm of the corner beams 20, the transverse beams 22 and the bracing beams 24. The tower section 5a, 5b has preferably a weight in an interval 80 to 160 kg.

[0063] In regards to the truss tower assembly 1 in FIG. 1, transverse bar 15 is preferably arranged extending in parallel with a side S1, S2, S3 of a tower section 10 of the first truss tower 5a and in parallel with a side S1, S2, S3 of a tower section 10 of the second truss tower 5b.

[0064] For example, the transverse bar 15 is arranged extending along the first side S1 of the first truss tower 5a and correspondingly along the first side S1 of the second truss tower 5b. Thereby, the stresses subjected to the two truss towers 10a, 10b from an entity connected to the transverse bar 15 are preferable for the truss tower assembly 1.

[0065] In FIG. 3 is an example of a corner beam 20 of the tower section 10 in FIG. 2a disclosed. The corner beam 20 comprises a closed tubular profile and is provided with fins 30 for attachments of the transverse beams 22 and the bracing beams 24. The corner beam 20 preferably comprises an extruded aluminium material.

[0066] In FIG. 4 is an example of a transverse beam 22 of the tower section 10 in FIG. 2a disclosed. The transverse beam 22 comprises an L-shaped profile with friction enhancing surface 40 for facilitating climbing the truss tower 10 using the transverse beams 22. The friction enhancing surface 40 comprises for example friction ridges or friction notches. The transverse beam 22 preferably comprises an extruded aluminium material.

[0067] In FIG. 5 is an example of a bracing beam 24 of the tower section 10 in FIG. 2a disclosed. The transverse beam 22 comprises an L-shaped profile. The bracing beam 24 preferably comprises an extruded aluminium material.

[0068] It should be noted that the above-mentioned embodiments illustrate rather than limit the invention, and that those skilled in the art will be able to design many alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

[0069] For example, it shall be understood that more than three elongated corner beams 20 may be used with increasing number of surfaces of the tower section 10, for example four, six or eight corner beams 20. It shall further be understood that the feature relating to the arrangement of the transverse bar 15 parallel with a side S1, S2, S3 of the tower section 10 of the first truss tower 5a and parallel with a side S1, S2, S3 of a tower section 10 of the second truss tower 5b is independent to the feature of the offset arrangement of the transverse beams 22. It shall further be understood that the truss tower assembly 1 in FIG. 1a-c preferably mainly comprises a structural metal, such as aluminium, and that truss tower assembly 1 made of a composite material or wood would be difficult to realize.

[0070] In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claim. Use of the verb “comprise” and its conjugations does not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those stated in a claim. The article “a” or “an” preceding an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.